Teso leaders seek help to rescue residents in flooded areas

Serere, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several households in the Teso region continue to be displaced by floods due to flooding of Lake Kyoga. The affected residents live along the shores of Lake Kyoga in the districts of Kalaki, Kaberamaido and Serere.

Last year, the lake burst its banks affecting gardens, roads, institutions and settlements.

Since then, several roads in the regional districts have remained impassable, villages, parishes and sub-counties have also remained cut off.

Currently, the main access road (Omabor road) that connects Kalaki and Kaberamaido remains cut off since 2020 while major roads connecting some sub-counties in the three districts have also remained inaccessible.

In Kaberamaido, Okile sub county has been cut off from the district for more than one year.

“Our women suffer in the kitchens because getting firewood in the villages is not easy. All the shrubs and trees that used to give us firewood have been covered by water. The hunger situation has become part of us now because most of the crops grown in gardens get submerged before maturity”, said Mackay Ojok a resident.

Victor Ekesu, the LC V chairperson of Kaberamaido says the rising water levels are worrying and requires intervention from the government.

In Serere, almost all the sub-counties in the district have been affected except Kasilo town council, Serere town council, Ochapa town council and parts of Kidetok town council.

The main access to Kagwara town council has been blocked since last year while the four sub-counties of Kadungulu, Labor, Pingire and Bugondo have almost half of the population affected by the Lake Kyoga water.

Joseph Obiara, a resident of Okulukulun in Kadungulu sub county says he has lost all the six acres of land to the rising water levels. He now lives in one grass-thatched house with his eight children. His compound is all submerged with water and the family has lost all the crops in the garden.

The floods have forced many residents to seek refuge at trading centres in Serere district.

Norbert Ikwarit, the sub-county chairperson of Pingire says many families now live in trading centres because their homes have been submerged.

Michael Ouma, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Serere says they have written to the Office of the Prime Minister over the matter and expect some assistance.

“OPM gave us some food that we gave out to the community but was not enough. The situation is quite alarming but we shall get a comprehensive report soon”, he said.

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